New California Republic
Overview ; The largest successor state to Old America, the New California Republic can trace itself back to the local governments of several Californian cities, including Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Francisco. Until the recent turnaround in the Holy Columbian Confederacy, the NCR was unquestionably the most successful of nations in North America. Recent years have not been as kind, as Ceasars Legion presses west and the Haida raiders continue to harass and loot valuable trading ships, but the NCR is still able to defend herself. History The Warlord Era Historically, California was a divided realm, carved up by petty warlords into different various realms until stabilizing into the former kingdoms of Baja, Socal, The Valley, Gran Frisco, and Jefferson. Status quo would hold for a couple hundred years, with one warlord occasionally uniting multiple kingdoms together but never all 5 at once and shattering back into independent realms upon each conquerors death until Elton I "The Lawgiver" Yudkow of The Valley and The War of Unity. The Beginning of the War The War of Unity would begin with King Dalton IV Aureus of Gran Frisco executing a famous Imamite preacher by the name of Al-Karim of Socal. King Musa, of Al-Karim's home of Socal, would demand justice for the Imamites death. However, Gran Frisco was in a stronger position militarily and Musa was unable to do anything against Aureus by himself. This stalemate would be broken when Elton I Yudkow of The Valley sent out diplomatic overtures to King Musa explaining his sympathy for Musa and Karim and his desire to get justice for Karim. Now united in purpose, the two kingdoms would commence an invasion against Gran Frisco, with Musa attacking first and Elton leading a surprise force in a direct assault against San Fran itself. Pressed on both sides and with no allies, King Dalton IV would surrender and meet the same date given to Al-Karim, now given to him by King Elton I, who would also retain the crown of Gran Frisco. Ahmad's Rebellion Satisfied with the result, King Musa decided to meet with King Elton in Sacramento. A large procession of revelers, courtiers, and Musa's personal guard traveled from the Socal capital of San Diego to Sacramento, where the two kings would finally meet for the first time. The story goes that the two would go on and become great friends. Whilst the merrymaking was going on, trouble was brewing in the south. King Musa's brother, Ahamad, a former student of Al-Karim and was seething because Musa didn't invade Gran Frisco for revenge despite their southern border being unprotected against the Bajanos. The Bajacaliforniano city states were the last to organize into a kingdom, only finally achieving so 7 years prior, under King Dong-Sun Caballero, who was looking to continue expanding his new Kingdom. While in Sacramento, King Musa would be disposed by Ahmad and a group of nobles who had wanted war with Gran Frisco. After hearing of the news, Musa vowed to raise an army and take bake his birthright but before he could leave, Elton I would offer his army in assistance, in return for Musa's fealty. Recognizing his weaker position relative to his brother, Musa would accept and become the Deputy of Socal and the two set out for LA to raise his remaining army. After several skirmishes with Ahmads forces, Musa and Elton I would pursue Ahmad to San Diego where he would make a final stand and be slain by Musa in personal combat. The Bajano Invasion Due to the weakening of the Kingdom by Ahmad's Rebellion, the Bajanos felt encouraged to invade Socal and proceeded to sack the Fortress of Balboa in San Diego. Unfortunately, most of Socals archival records, including antediluvian records, were destroyed in the sack and lost forever. Elton took his forces to Balboa to meet with the Bajano army while Musa would finish the remaining rebellious Socal nobility. Both would be successful, with Elton said to have driven the Bajanos back into the sea. After finishing the remaining rebellious nobility and confident in Musa to march down to Bajacalifornia and punish them, Elton would return home to Sacramento to give his army time to rest and himself a chance to begin reorganizing his new holdings. While in the Golden City, Elton would be struck by the idea which would eventually become Ceticism. While Elton began his writings on Ceticism and The Way of the Fist, Musa had moved south, razing Ensenada to the ground. Drawn out by the need to hold his new Kingdom together King Dong-Sun Caballero would meet Musa outside of the Guerrero Negro Saltworks and defeated. King Dong-Sun surrendered, laying his crown at Musa's feet. In an act of Mercy, Musa would accept his surrender and brought Dong-Sun and his crown to Elton, who would allow him to become Deputy of the Baja. The Caballeros would lead the Californio people into becoming some of the Emperor's most stalwart supporters. The Formation of Ceticism In a period of peace following the Baja conquest, Elton would formulate the basis of what would become Ceticism. Elton understood that his new holdings and vassals covered a wide range of cultures and religions and that those could be potential sources of conflict or even rebellion, so he sought a way to unify the land without drastic societal and religious upheaval. Eventually creating a philosophy that people can keep their gods and cultures, but must do so in service of the soon to be formed Empire. Following Emperors would expand the philosophy until the collapse of the Empire and subsequent republicanization. The Incorporation of Jefferson While organizing both his new lands and philosophy, Queen Daphne II of Jefferson died, leaving the Queendom to her 8 year old daughter, Columbia. Relations between Jefferson and The Valley were already tense due to Columbia's grandmother Sequoia I attempting to invade during Elton's predecessors reign, when Elton was still only just a court scribe. Elton, recognizing destiny when presented to him, offered Columbia a chance at being his Deputy of Jefferson in return for her fealty, and despite many of her vassals calling for a armed resistance, Columbia's father, the King-Consort, would get her to swear loyalty. The Creation of the Celestial Empire Having united all of the lands of Old California under one crown, Elton would melt the 5 crowns together and with the metal create a new crown and scepter befitting of the Emperor of California. Crowned as Elton I "The Lawbringer" Yudkow, Emperor of California and the Protector of the Baja. Centrally organized, with Deputies controlling each of the former Kingdoms subservient to the Emperor, Elton had created what many had only dreamed of. Attempting to eliminate the most obvious problem, Emperor Elton I would begin to introduce Ceticism to the various Deputies and their now-called States. Allowing for religious pluralism as long as it is done in service of the Emperor and recognizing the Emperor as the final authority of temporal matters were the main tenets. Finally, with the land united, a great many civil service projects were begun, including irrigation and road laying. The first real large scale constructions since the Age of Fire had finally commenced. Life in the Empire improved and the Yudkow dynasty's place was cemented. The California Golden Age Elton would continue building civil buildings and to hone the Cetic philosophy until his death in 2163. His son, Edward I, would continue these policies and begin a system of mutual defense and open trade between California's neighbors, enforced by the Empire. Seeing everything outside of California as barbarian wasteland, the Emperor felt no need for continued expansion. California's influence would not be restricted to just its borders. The Empire's economical and military power influenced the lives and politics of neighboring states. In exchange for yearly tribute as well as serving as buffer states against the Christians of the Midwest and Mexico, California allowed its neighbors to live in peace, the citizens of its tributaries granted free passage into the Empire and preferential treatment when it came to trade. It did not mean a complete lack of conflict, but such matters are solved quickly lest the squabbling attract the ire of Sacramento. Generations would pass without major conflict besides the occasional easily repelled barbarian horde attack in the south or northeast. The office of the Governatus, the commander-in-chief for the Celestial Emperor, was created to deal with them, leaving the Emperor free to govern California and work on their Cetic writings. Trade would be established with the Kingdom of Hawaii, with the Emperor eventually drawing his personal guard from there. One of the Crown princesses, with Yusef the Pilgrim from Socal, would create the Fleet of Grass with the empires help and attempt to find the Muslim Holy Land and riches. They would never be heard from again. Both the Brotherhood of Steel and the Californian Rangers would be formed in this period. Language was codified and standards were introduced for weights, measurements, and money. During Emperor Ruben's reign, the Gaians to the North of the Empire were members of the tributary system. Most paid yearly gifts of treasure to the Emperor, becoming Californian Prefectures in all but name but a few polities were granted special privileges. One such polity was the Sacred Grove of Portland, a theocratic state governed by a council of Druidesses. As a sacred site to both Gaian Cetics and proper Gaians, Portland only paid a quarter of the yearly tribute to the Empire, so long as pilgrims from California are guaranteed protection and the freedom to worship. Inevitably tensions would mount between the local druids and the foreign clergy, leading to send conflict and the Empires first lost. Shocked by being the first Emperor to lose a war, Ruben I would be found dead days after hearing the news. He's successor, Elton III, didn't wish for continued conflict and would excited the Cetic Guru who caused the conflict in the first place, his head to the Portlanders. Further, the Sacred Grove of Portland's status as tributary was changed to that of 'Honored Friend of the Empire', granting Portland full protection and trade rights without having to pay tribute for twenty years. For the Portlanders, the reparations meant little compared to what had been lost. Acres of sacred forest had burned in the battle for Portland, with the death toll from the Portland campaign reaching thousands. The privileges of being an 'Honored Friend' of California meant little as well, as in the coming years other realms in the Pacific Northwest would attack Portland, with the only support from Sacramento being a token force of inexperienced soldiers. This would set the stage for the next major attempted expansion of the California Empire The Northern Prefectures Elton III son, Hetch I, would take the opposite Way of his father and made it his imperial prerogative to conquer the northern Gaians and officially incorporate them into the Empire. Hetch I would call for a grand coalition of California forces to bring the tree-huggers under heel. The campaign ended in disaster. The Emperor, while in the midst of a great battle, was struck by one of the tree-dwellers weapons - his leg caved in and his ability to fight on the front forever destroyed, the Emperor ordered the frontlines guarded and retreated to the eastern capital. The wound had come as a great shock to the great Emperor - for days he insisted it was a minor wound and would soon heal, but as time went on his attempts at walking grew more pained and his moods often turned darker and darker, until he found solace in gifts of Valleyan wines. After his impairment, he grew more interested in drink and idle fancy rather than governance, relegating many of his traditional tasks and responsibilities to courtiers and his Governatus. Thus began the many excesses of the Bureaucracy. The Governatus, Jeff Madonna, had envisioned this as a chance to cement his authority, and he ordered his most loyal into positions of governance over the various prefectures of the Celestial Empire. In the following scores of years, courtiers abused their power, as the local despots levied exorbitant taxes, seized property, pillaged coffers, and violated the common folk. The Northern Prefectures were left isolated, as attacks from the followers of the Tree increased tenfold. The Governatus ruled that the Prefectures were less important than the empire itself, and eventually, General Kirk Gable and his men abandoned their stations, fleeing southward to guard the northernmost border of the empire. Thus, the imperial roads in the north were abandoned, and Gaian pilgrimages to the Redwoods increased in intensity and in fervor, as many Druids began claiming of revelations from the Earth. One of these visionaries, who called himself "The General of Gaia", claimed that the Emperor would perish soon, from a fall caused by his wound. None believed him, and all were in shock when the Emperor fell down the entrance to the Imperial Hall - a fall no doubt caused by his wound. Overnight, political squabble overtook the imperial court, as factions fought to push their favored prince to inherit. The Bear Throne sat empty for a week, as the struggle grew more intense. Finally, the Prefect of the Motherlode, Will Steely, crushed his opponents, including the former Governatus. With his rule secure, the new Governatus placed forth the prince Chad, the Steward of the Northern Palace and Emperor Hetch's fourth son, on the throne. Emperor Chad, now known to many as "the Boneless", ruled from behind a screen, as he delegated tasks to the Governatus and his ensemble while he immersed himself in indulgent amorous activities with his youthful consort, Empress Amanda. As the realm slid further into chaos, disasters struck - the raids from the north increased, the ground shook asunder, and crops failed for years on end. The citizenry struggled on the verge of starvation and death as the bellies of the officials grew wider. As the ability of the court decreased, the duties of the prefects and officials increased. One official in particular, James Gearhart, had been zealously promoting a tithe on the Gaian processions, which he felt had now overwhelmed the Redwoods. Many of those who conducted the pilgrimages refused to pay the tithe - dissidence turned into anger when pilgrims were seized at random by James' order, and the area grew unstable with contempt for the court. The Green Sash Rebellion Eventually, James Gearhart, angered at the lack of tithes, decided to force the pilgrims to pay, and punish those who refused. Sources are unclear on what followed exactly afterward - but by the end of the day, thousands of pilgrims lay dead among the burning remains of the Great Redwood trees. The very symbol of the Celestial Empire was laid ablaze, and the empire itself was responsible. The General of Gaia, who had made himself untraceable since his prophecy regarding the Brave Emperor, appeared once more, urging the common masses of the North to rise in revolt. With the cry of the Redwoods, dissidents began turning to rebels, shouting out that "Old is the heaven and necessary are the changes". The General bided his time, growing his following from a few social outcasts to many thousands within a year. Finally, he announced to all his followers - "In the Fifteenth Year, all is auspicious". Thus it was, that, at the beginning of the fifteenth year of the Emperor, 2543 AD (American Dating), large droves of people, who had long been abused and extorted, began to rise up in rebellion. Thousands upon thousands of the starved and disaffected began to take arms against the court, waving their green sashes high. The uprising seized and razed the offices and homes of local authorities, killing Imperial officials and capturing city after city. The revolt spread like wildfire, and within five days the entirety of the Northern prefectures had fallen, as the court was shocked to the point of inaction. An emergency meeting of the court was declared, as the various armies of the empire were too scattered about to effectively respond. With urging of the Governatus Steely, the Emperor lifted one of the laws that the Emperor Lawgiver had laid down - that no prefect or governor may raise their own army. He ordered the prefects and governors of the realm to recruit from their citizenry and fight the rebellion, as more joined the cause of the rebels. One of these new rebels, Yuk Kuan-Yin, had been a nobleman - he became increasingly convinced of zeal for his faith, and rose up with the followers of the Sacred Heart in Baja to overwhelm the province. Within six months, most of the empire had been conquered - but the rebels had a major weakness, as they no longer shared a common ideology or goal. Rebellion infighting became common, and the divided rebels were easily put to the sword by the might of the Empire. In an epic showdown outside of Reno, Kirk Gable slew The General of Gaia, who promised his followers before his death that he shall return as a champion of the Earth-Goddess. Yuk Kuan-Yin was slain by the Prefect Caballero, and the few remaining rebels ran to the hills. With the rebellion crushed, the Empire should have experienced prosperity, but problems immediately arose. During the rebellion, Prefectures were permanently lost to barbarian forces. What's more, the victorious Prefects began turning on one another. In these battles, the Governatus was slain - but his daughter, Ann Steely, quickly consolidated the rest of the Valley and had the Emperor proclaim her as Governatus of the realm. The Fracture of the Empire The Defense of Gable While Kirk Gable attempted to hold the northern prefectures together through the breakdown of Imperial authority, several prefects rose up led by Prefect Elias Gearheart, declaring "The empire has fallen and the people of Jefferson must not cling to its corpse." While most in the northern lands held this sentiment at least privately, Kirk Gable refused to abandon the Emperor. In truth many of his allies were more loyal to Kirk than the Emperor, but they followed him regardless. Kirk mustered an army to put down this rebellion as he did with the Green Sash. For some lords, the news of Kirk moving to stop them was enough to shatter their morale, but others, including Lord Gearheart, persisted either out of ambition or genuine belief in their cause. These men were eventually vanquished in the battle of the Ukiah, where Kirk caught the rebels marching south in an attempt to seek aid from Goldin Moore. Kirk's veteran army made short work of the prefect's hastily raised men. In yet another show of mercy, Kirk allowed the armies of the rebels to disperse and return home, so long as the rebel lords submitted. Lord Gearheart was amongst those who bowed, though a few did notably resist and were executed before Kirk returned to Reno. With the defeat of the last militant rebels and the death of the General of Gaia, Kirk Gable set about pacifying the northern prefectures, as there was still great discontent amongst the populace. While they no longer took up arms against Imperial forces, the common folk still held sympathies to the Green Sash. Kirk desired no more blood from the men and women of Jefferson, and so set out to peacefully pacify them. He personally declared his protection of Gaian pilgrims and even paid a large sum of his own wealth to help regrow the great forests that had been damaged in the violence. This greatly endeared him to the people of Jefferson, the man who had once been reviled throughout the Gaian community as the murderer of their savior over time became seen as not only a good and kind leader but one who respected the ways of the Gaian faithful. When he declared his intention to marry his young son to a daughter of the Duke of Willamette, Gaians across the realm rejoiced. Kirk Gable became the ruler of Jefferson in all but name, prefects looked to him to guide them, his soldiers patrolled the roads and cities, and many hoped the Emperor would name him Grand Prefect of Jefferson. Unfortunately, things did not progress so smoothly in the rest of the Empire. The Rise of the Carmines Socal survived the Green Sash Rebellion particularly intact - the Imam Yassir ordered his men to safeguard the various passes and roads leading to the urban centers. In the battle of Descanso, where a Green Sash battalion under the orders of Yuk Kuan-Yin attempted to cross into Socal, a commander distinguished himself by laying an ambush for the rebels. David Carmine, as he was named, was recognized by the Imam for this deed, and Imam Yassir made him the commander of Socal's armies. David Carmine marched forth and shattered Green Sash rebels at Tejon, using the pass to rain hellfire on the rebels who crossed below. With the borders of Socal secured, Imam Yassir named David the Prefect of Pendleton and Protector of San Diego - the most prestigious title under the Governor of the province. Tragedy struck the Imam - his wife, and the mother of his son Yunus, had died following a sudden illness. After the mourning period passed, David arranged a marriage between his daughter, Seneca, and the Imam. While the celebrations occurred, David Carmine marched forth with the armies of Socal once more, this time ending the ambitions of the warlord Wilford Burnett, who had attempted to invade Obispo. David's campaigns earned him much loyalty from the soldiers of Socal. Later, David died a natural death - but his son, William, inherited his title and rank, and the loyalty of all of David's followers. Seneca soon gave birth to a son, Salim. Susan Ann the Governatus With the rebellion largely put down in the Valley, The Governatus, Will Steely, made attempts to quell the ambitions of the various victorious prefects. He sent messengers in the name of the emperor, awarding them with rank and wealth, and for those who did not lay down their arms, he sent threats. When the Count of Yolo, Jacob Ryder, refused to submit to him, an assassin was dispatched, and Jacob's head was presented to The Governatus. The Prefect of the North, Malthus Hartfeld, rose up in revolt against The Governatus. He propagated that Will Steely had used the powers of his office to curtail the Emperor, abuse the common folk, and seize the wealth of the land urging the other lords of the land to join him in his quest. His decisions had remained controversial - many had blamed the revolt on him and his decisions as Governatus, and now, with his rank more secure at the cost of the peace of the realm, he had made many enemies. They too joined Malthus Hartfeld in his war to restore Imperial Authority. The Governatus marched forth with his troops, restoring order. After quick campaigns around the North Valley, including a fierce battle at Colusa, the Governatus was once more secure in his position, having slain Malthus and exiling his son. He placed the son of a loyal retainer, Richard Winkler, as the Prefect of the North Valley. However, the Central and Southern Valley remained out of his grasp, as did the rest of California. He amassed his forces and marched into Mariposa, where he was laid upon in ambush by Amber Colbart, the Countess of the area. Here, despite his attempts at facing off the enemy, the Governatus was slain, and with him, most of his loyal retainers. The Imperial Court was thrown into disarray, as the Valley dissolved into chaos. Will Steely's sole child, Susan Ann, was quickly raised by her father's remaining supporters as his heir, and she set out from her base in the Motherlode to crush the remaining dissidents. Richard Winkler submitted peacefully - the others, including Amber Colbart, were met with the fury of the Fist, and none remained who opposed her hegemony in the Valley. When she entered the Imperial Palace, armed and flanked by soldiers, the Emperor Chad willingly granted her the rank and prestige of Governatus, ensuring her domain over the realm. The Usurpation by Goldin Moore In the court of Gran Frisco, Prefect Chen Daoming did what he could to stem the tide of the rebellion, but he was a lanky and near-sighted scholar who had spent his time working to improve the lands he governed, he had no experience in leading soldiers, and knew he would be unsuitable for the task. He had hoped to appoint a competent prefect to lead in his stead but internal squabbles kept arising, the prefects were too busy arguing who would lead the armies to actually quell the rebellion, and Chen's attempts to broker some semblance of peace with the rebels continually failed to bear fruit. A solution was proposed by Chen's Seneschal, Goldin Moore, who suggested that the position be put to a vote amongst the leading prefectures of the area. Through a campaign of bribery and Blackmail, Goldin himself was elected nigh-unanimously to be placed in charge of the Bayfolk armies. Despite his lack of military experience, Goldin proved to be an adept administrator (and very good at delegating command to minor lords who were good commanders with little influence) and successfully put down the rebels in Wineland and Salinas. This led to the prefects of the Bay to see Goldin Moore as the leader who led them through the crisis, and Chen's influence at court gradually diminished as Goldin refused to relinquish command of his new armies. Shortly after the death of David Carmine, Goldin called a grand council of San Francisco where he asked the prefects to name him "Lord Protector of the Bay" and the new prefect of Goldengate. Chen was powerless to oppose the united force of Goldin's loyalists and was removed from power. As Chen and those loyal to him sped away to Sacramento to warn the Emperor, the Governatus, Susan Ann Steely, seized Yolo county from Goldin's domains. Goldin began amassing his forces for war. The First False King Dramatic changes began to unfold quickly in Socal. Imam Yassir was struck with an illness the likes of which has never been seen before and died a sudden death. His grief-stricken widow, Seneca, was appointed regent over her stepson, Imam Yunus. Though she was not his biological mother, the two were very close, and Seneca treated Yunus like her own son, Salim. However, her brother, General William Carmine, Prefect of Pendleton and Protector of San Diego, rushed to the court, and in a dramatic turn of events, marched into Balboa, unseating the young Yunus, and placing his nephew Salim on the throne, claiming loudly that Salim was Yassir's desired heir. Though Salim was her own child, Seneca refused to submit to her brother's actions, and she was swept aside out of the political situation entirely. She organized Yunus' escape from her brother, and Yunus was first taken to Los Angeles, and then to Orange, where he regrouped with loyal retainers. Less than a year into Salim's reign, the infant died in his sleep, along with his mother, Seneca. General William Carmine loudly mourned the deaths of his sister and nephew, and then unveiled a will - the final order of Salim - which granted Socal and its domains to William. None protested, as William had taken steps to ensure loyal followers would be with him, and William, in the year 2554 AD (American Dating), proclaimed himself King. This violated the law laid by the Lawgiver that there shall be no Kings in the realm, but the Governatus, Susan Ann Steely, declined to prosecute William for his offense, viewing the opportunity as a means to gain an advantage for her own ambitions. The Baja To the far south of the empire, Prefect Esteban del Caballero reacted quickly to the uprising in his territory. Before rising to become a Prefect, he had been a military commander and while his days of defending Hoover Dam from barbarian raids were long gone, his skill at strategy remained. When the Green Sashes rose up in his lands, he was temporarily forced to retreat up to Socal, where he fought alongside the armies of Imam Yassir. Once Yuk Kuan-Yin was defeated in Tejon, Esteban pursued him southwards, liberating Baja as he went. Eventually Yuk was slain outside of Baja Sur and Esteban reclaimed the last of Baja. The losses were great but Baja had been saved. It was on his way back to Mexicali that Esteban received word of William Carmine proclaiming himself king, as well as the deaths of Yassir and Salim. Esteban knew that the empire could ill afford lords naming themselves kings, and that it would likely tear apart the Empire, but his losses were too great to force the Carmines to stand down, and he was isolated from any allies he could have sought. So Esteban relied not on the sword, but the pen. In a letter sent to the Emperor, Esteban acknowledged that he lacked the ability to save the empire, and offered to protect the Imperial court if they relocated to Ensenada, which would be given to Emperor Chad as his new Court. This offer enraged the Governatus who saw it to be a bare-faced power grab intending to place the Emperor at the mercy of a Warlord. It was ordered that all envoys and officials from Baja were to be expelled, and so Esteban received his reply not in words but in actions. The Emperor would remain isolated in Sacramento. Cut off from the north by the new Kingdom of Socal, and faced with Barbarians across the gulf, Esteban declared himself as King of Baja in order to consolidate his realm and defend the people he could reach. The Jefferson Kingdom As news of the chaos from the south reached Kirk Gable, he quickly set about raising armies to reassert Imperial authority, but one morning did not rise from his bed in Reno. The servants found his body cold and lifeless, and the physician who examined him concluded that the prospect of the empire he had fought so long for collapsing was too much for his heart. Regardless of the cause of his death, the lords of Jefferson were left leaderless, until Marilyn Thielsen, the Gaian lady that was to be married to young Quentin Gable took charge. She declared her betrothed King of Jefferson and herself the Queen and set about consolidating her reign. Marilyn was the daughter of the duke of Williamette and had spent years amongst the court of Kirk, where she established connections to many powerful nobles. While there were rumors she was tied to the infamous Bohemian club, such hearsay was dismissed out of hand once she came to power. The Gaians rallied to Marilyn's cause, and many common folks remembered Kirk fondly enough to accept his son as their King, but several lords remained loyal to the empire and declared Marilyn to be a traitor. She took the armies meant to save the empire and used them to crush those who would oppose her. Quentin (who would later come to be known as "The Unready") came of age shortly after she quelled the last loyalists and the two were married in a great ceremony in Reno. While Marilyn formally relinquished her power to her new husband, she was his leading advisor and the commander of his armies. Their union bore a son, Stanford, who had both the blood of Gaian lords and the beloved Kirk Gable. With their position strong, Jefferson established itself as yet another warlord state. The King of the Bay As changes occurred throughout the realm, the Goldengate was experiencing its own events. Goldin led his army and surprised all, marching southwards as opposed to Yolo, with the intention of "Bringing the traitorous 'king' of Socal to justice." Goldin's armies captured Obispo quickly, and Goldin received an envoy from the Carmine king shortly thereafter. It is unclear what the terms of peace exactly were, but the next day the Socalian armies ended their march to take back Obispo, ceding it to the Bayfolk. When Goldin returned to San Francisco he held a great ceremony which ended in him crowning himself king of Gran Francisco. Thus fell the lands of the Bay. Cut off from all sides, the Paiute lords of the Valley of Death declared themselves their own independent, though none around them regard them as significant enough to acknowledge. The Governatus Queen With all of the empire effectively contesting her rule, Governatus Susan Ann Steely proclaimed herself queen of the Valley and ten years later Emperor Chad Yudkow died comatose in his sleep, leaving his hollowed out Empire to his son Elton IV. The Birth of the Republic Elton IV would attempt to implement some reforms in order to put imperial power back onto the throne but the Governatus Susan Ann would led another coup against the throne, this time resulting in Elton IV's seclusion at her direction and the question of the Yudkow's being puppets or not was answered. Civilian uprisings would start happening shortly after, leading to the Governatus beginning to violently and brutally suppress any domestic rebellions. Anti-Governatus, Anti-Imperial, Pro-Republican, and Anarchist societies began forming and spreading. Many revolutionaries would begin to preach a return to an antediluvian form of government, away from the chaos of the Warlords and the unreliability of the Emperors. A revolutionary named Alexander Vandegriff would unite several major rebel factions together into one group, called the Golden Poppy movement. They would announce their purpose as "To expel the unrighteous Governatus, to revive California, and to establish a most awesome Republic." Supported by non-Cetic intellectuals, the movement gained ground quickly and spread like wildfire throughout the 5 kingdoms. The pace of the Revolution would pick up immensely when several Black ships, led by people like the Chinos but not them, calling themselves the Edokko and demanding the the city of Los Angeles open itself for trade. This would jumpstart the Revolution as word spread of these foreigners from across the ocean spread and people realized the need for reforms or their country would be swallowed by these colonizers from the west. Included in them would be both King Esteban del Caballero of Baja and King Quentin Gable of Jefferson, both having the foresight to understand a united California was needed against future colonizers and aggressors. The two kings, along with Vandegriff and his Golden Poppies managed to secure the essential support of both the Brotherhood of Steel and the California Rangers and began a civil war with the remaining Warlords. Before they could capture any major cities though, San Francisco itself would rise up in rebellion against King Cullen Moore of Gran Frisco. Captured in the chaos, King Moore himself was beheaded and his head out on a spike overlooking his precious Bay. Whilst the King of the Bay was losing his head, in Socal the Carmines had a problem of another kind. The Edokko had seized the islands of Santa Catalina and San Clementine and Rancho Palos Verdes on the mainland. The Carmines would quickly work out a treaty recognizing the Edokkos hold of their lands in return for a cessation of hostilities in order to confront the rebels. However they would not be able to work it out quickly enough, for once they were able to begin moving armies into a defensive positions, they were already being overrun by rebels. Alexander Vandegriff would allow the Carmines to live, while being exiled across the Colorado River. While the revolutionary armies were planning their assault of The Valley Kingdom, an assassin attacked the Governatus herself. Pretending to be a fleeing minor noble from Socal, the plan being to pretend to have important rebel communiqués and information to present to Susan Ann in order to get close and use a poisoned dagger hidden in a scroll. The assassin approached Governatus Susan and politely presented the map scroll. When the Governatus unrolled the map, the assassin immediately seized the revealed dagger, grabbed the Governatus' clothes and attacked him, who somehow managed to back away from the initial thrust by tearing off a sleeve in the process. While Susan Ann fled from his attacker on foot, she attempted to draw her own sword hanging from her belt, but was unable to do so while running desperately as it was a very long ceremonial sword. None of the other California officials within the vicinity were armed and able to stop the assassin, and the guards stationed outside the palace were unable to reach the scene in time. In the confusion Jing Ke began to close in on the king, who struggled to get away from the assassin by circling behind a pillar. Seeing the Governatus in grave danger, a royal physician grabbed his medicine bag and hurled it at the assassin, which slowed down the assassin just enough to allow Susan Ann to recover some distance. Reminded by cries from other officials, the Governatus managed to shift his longsword behind his back and unsheathe it over the shoulder. Now armed, he immediately turned back and struck the assassin in the thigh, effectively immobilizing him. The injured assassin, out of a desperate last attempt, threw his dagger towards Governatus Susan, only to miss the target. The Governatus then proceeded to stab the assassin eight more times, mortally wounding him. At this point, the guards arrived at the scene to finish him off. Despite the failure, the next day the Governatus Susan sent a message to Vandegriff, pledging her loyalty if they didn't organize any more assassination attempts and promising to get the Celestial Emperor to abdicate the throne. Telling Elton IV that his and the imperial families lives would be in danger if they didn't abdicate before the rebels made it to the Golden City, Susan Ann managed to secure his abdication. After long negotiations, it was settled with a vote that the Former Governatus Susan Ann would become the first President of the nascent Republic and that Vandegriff would be her Vice-President. Establishing a one party system by transforming the Golden Poppy into a political party, and within 2 years the Senate would be formed and filled while the former Emperor's, the Yudkow's, would be allowed to continue to live in the Golden City and be treated as a separate country, due to their religious and cultural importance. Accordingly the capital would be moved to San Francisco. Demographics & Inhabitants Cultures The descendants of the Americans and Latinos from California to Nevada * Bayfolk: The inhabitants of the coastal regions of California from San Luis to Humboldt. Famous for their wine, wealth, and relatively high level of education. Their lands center on the magnificent San Francisco Bay, the most important port on the west coast. * Valleyan: The simple, hardworking people of California's central valley. Despite being poorer than their coastal cousins, they take great pride in being the home and people of the Capital and golden city of Sacramento. * Angeleno: Though centered on the Los Angeles - San Diego axis, the Angeleno stretches far into the mojave desert and the arid interior of southern California. The Angelenos consider themselves descendants of the stars themselves, and shines to small golden statues of "Oscar" are frequent attractions in their cities. * Cascadian: The less populated area of the Cascadia region is home to the native Cascadians, a land strung between the encroaching First Nations and Californian kingdoms. Though a chunk of South-West Oregon is ruled by the Portlanders and Paiutes, the coast and the Californian kingdom of Jefferson are all Cascadian. Only the Oregon coast, however, is fully Gaian and Cascadian, as part of their lands are ruled by the Cetics under the Republic of California * Calaotians: After the Cataclysm, the refugee Hmong, said to be from far across the great ocean, farther even then Hawai'i or Nippon, were better adapted than their native neighbors to survive the hardships and misery of the dark ages. While they are still a fairly distrusted minority, they dominate the southern reaches of the San Joaquin valley and the hills around it. * Paiute: The Paiute people live on the fringes of the Californian lands. Marginalization by the former Celestial Empire has led to the Death Valley prefecture becoming nearly independent. The Californian Paiutes adopted the Cetic faith, while those beyond Cali generally seem to lean either towards Gaianism or to Mormonism. * Californio: When the Empire of California arose, the Celestial Emperor decreed that there is only one California. The Empire absorbed Baja California, and promoted a Californio as King. Since then, the Californio have largely renounced religion, instead swearing loyalty to the Celestial Emperor in Sacramento. On the rocky islands to the west and south, though, Californio pirates prowl the waves. * Chino: The Chino are unlike any other culture in Mexico. Their language is an odd blend of Spanish and some unknown tongue. They use odd pictograms in addition to the standard Latin Alphabet. They put their surname ahead of their given name. Even visually, they appear different from the rest of the Mexicano population. It is unknown where exactly they came from, only that their odd traditions are shared by the Calaotians up north, and every now and then, an odd visitor from across the sea speaks of similar traditions... Cities The largest city and capital, San Francisco, has a population of 61 thousand people, the second largest, Sacramento, has 30 thousand. There are 4 other cities of note in the kingdom (SaDiegoco, Los Angeles, Fresno, and Cabo San Lucas) and 60 towns. The remaining population lives in numerous small villages, isolated dwellings, etc. Government & Politics The New California Republic is a federal unicameral presidential republic based on the principle of representative democracy, established as the successor of Old America. The executive branch is the Council, headed by the President of the New California Republic and their Vice-President, elected by the Congress. The Congress, also known as the Senate, forms the legislative branch and is a unicameral parliament staffed by representatives elected in popular elections by citizens of each county that comprises the Republic. Apart from legislation, the Congress also acts as an advisory body to the government of the Republic. Notably, while the general term for representatives is "Congressman", the states themselves use use a variety of titles: "Councilor," "Counselor," "Councilman," "Representative," and "Senator." The terms are used interchangeably and used widely outside the chambers of the Council and Congress, but within them they can be used as insults and spark furious debates. Each county represented in NCR Congress sends one representative to Sacramento. The judicial branch comprises courts and judges ruling in accordance with NCR's adapted version of American common law. Law Civil law As mentioned above, NCR citizens have the right to vote for their representatives to sit in the Congress. Both citizens and non-citizens enjoy the protection of NCR's courts (although courts tend to favor citizens in disputes). Orcs and Goblinkind are also protected since 2589, but enforcing this part of the law has been spotty. Intellectual property laws have been enacted and remain a source of ongoing controversy, particularly patents. The NCR Bill of Rights is based on the Bill of Rights in the Old America Constitution, and guarantees many of the same rights and freedoms found in the US Constitution to NCR Citizens, including: * Freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religion. Strict separation of church and state. * The right to bear arms for self-defense, though settlements are permitted to make reasonable restrictions, such as prohibiting open carrying of weapons (weapons not sheathed or bound) within city limits, as well as restricting possession of certain weapon types (such as explosives) within city limits. * Prohibitions of discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, sexuality, or aforementioned religious beliefs. * The right to a speedy trial by jury, as well as protection of unreasonable searches and seizures, and protections against self-incrimination and double jeopardy. * Slavery and involuntary servitude are prohibited except as a sentence for a crime handed out by a court of law (i.e. prison work crews). * Powers and responsibilities not given to federal government are given to the states and individual settlements instead. Immigration laws Immigration into the NCR is open to both humans, Orcs, and (controversially) Goblinkind, provided they are law-abiding and peaceful. The process is simple. The person in question moves to an NCR territory, presents their claim for immigration, undergo citizenship training, and once his application is processed is granted the status of a Provisional Citizen (PC). Full citizenship is granted shortly afterwards. All registered citizens are required to pay any appropriate and associated taxes. Territories can petition the Republic for annexation. Once the petition is accepted, the NCR grants the town territorial status and establishes a police and army presence in the location to establish the rule of law and eliminate law-breakers. Once this process is completed, the territory can apply for full statehood. The frontier New Vegas or the former Northern Protectorate of Cascadia are the closest to becoming the next state of the union. Criminal law The Republic dedicates itself to bringing peace, security, and justice to the people within and without their borders. When the NCR can excise rule of law on criminals, it is done so according to the severity of their crimes, with the death penalty being reserved for serious offenses. Notably, murder does not automatically translate to a capital sentence. Punishment for criminals inside NCR proper means serving prison time at any number of correctional facilities and performing manual labor for the NCR's work release program. However, outside the NCR's metropole is a different story. The NCR Army isn't keen on peacekeeping activities and usually swiftly punishes crimes committed in around the boarderlands with death. Part of this includes the setting of bounties and delegating the responsibly of capture to able civilians that can bring in criminals that have eluded NCR lawmen or military. At least for the military, bounties require proof in the form of an intact head; anything less conclusive results in a fraction of the bounty being rewarded. Common municipal laws in the NCR boil down to: * a ban on slavery, unlicensed gambling, and unlicensed prostitution * a ban on open carry of weapons (although concealed carry/binding is permitted) * a ban on public drunkenness or drug use Although they are rigidly enforced in major NCR population centers, they tend to become more relaxed on the frontier. On the road, bylaws of the Republic allow for dismissing caravan members suspected of theft without pay. Military law This same rule of law also applies to prisoners of war. With laws enacted during President Mendez's administration, the NCR recognizes the rights of prisoners of war and approaches their care humanely and free from abuse. Most officers find these laws to be constricting, but resourceful officers find ways around it by employing the service of outside consultants. Laws pertaining to soldiers are quite severe. Cowardice before the enemy, especially desertion, is punished with death by hanging or to be shot on sight. Dishonorable conduct usually leads to a court-martial and may result in execution for particularly severe crimes. Internal conflicts In theory, this is a sound and well-balanced system, but in practice, every state tries to assert its independence and work towards furthering its own agenda. There is much friction between the states of Sacramento and Angelos, usually related to trade rights and caravan routes. Significant pressure is exerted on the political and economic direction of the NCR by a variety of private interests; in particular, the land barons whose wealth gives them great influence at the ballot box and whose needs are often placed first by officials seeking support in their political ambitions. With the armed forces, the Gun Runners gain special dispensation and influence as they are the primary contributor to NCR's weapon arsenal. Elsewhere, monopolies like the Crimson Caravan and similar trading families dominate the trade routes and use their wealth to gain influence with the NCR government and extort large amounts of money. Smaller competitors who are unable to compete with both the larger competition as well as the high taxes are inevitably muscled out. The president is the biggest factor in deciding on the course the Republic should take. For example, under Mendez, the NCR has grown substantially, focusing efforts on rebuilding the pre-War infrastructure and restarting technological development, while under Norton the NCR is becoming more imperialistic and expansionist. Government Offices The Government Offices of the NCR are an extension of the Executive Branch of Government, tasked with enforcing and carrying out the various laws of the New California Republic, being roughly analogous with Executive Departments of the pre-war United States. Appointments are made based on the concept of observational promotion. In short, it was a system that the bureaucrats were promoted based on the recommendation of the locals, believed to possess the ability and morality. Of course, in practice, it gradually becahas become means for the abuse of power and corruption, where power, money and social reputation are in charge. Office of Defense Oversees the national security of the NCR, includes the New California Republican Army and the New California Rangers as well as some civilian employees involved in oversight of the military. Office of Justice Charged with the enforcement of the law within the NCR, including the regulation of various local police forces, sheriff's departments, town guards, and militias, as well as operating the NCR's Federal Law Enforcement services, most notably the NCR Marshals Service and the NCR Correctional Service. Office of Science, Magics, & Industry Tasked with conducting scientific/magical research for the advancement of technology and the improvement of infrastructure in the New California Republic, as well as regulating scientific/magical research by private organizations within the borders of the Republic. The organization works closely with the Office of Resources and Office of Transportation and Infrastructure. Office of Resources The Office of Resources and Energy are charged with regulating the use and preventing the overuse, destruction, or pollution of natural resources, including water, mineral resources, agricultural land, and forest resources in the NCR, etc. Works closely with the Office of Science and Industry. Office of Health and Safety The Office of Health and Safety is charged with promoting the health and safety of civilians in the NCR, a task which includes roles as diverse as maintaining the NCR Health Service, setting standards for medical licensing. Office of Education Sets standards for education in the NCR, including both basic education and higher education, setting up both primary schools and the various campuses of the University of New California. Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Tasked with the maintenance of transportation and infrastructure systems, including roads, harbors, water and sewer systems, dams, and other infrastructure within the NCR. Among the largest branches is the Bureau of Infrastructure Maintenance, charged with the construction and maintenance of infrastructure. The OTI also contains the registry for ships and the few airships in civilian hands in the NCR. The OTI works closely with the Office of Science and Technology on many of its projects. Office of Foreign Affairs Tasked with maintaining relations and embassies with various other states. Infrastructure Civilian While not reaching the level of pre-dragon America, the NCR has been able to either maintain or rebuild most of the existing/previous infrastructure and it's citizens enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world. Major roads are no longer paved with concrete, now being made of gravel with more minor roads just marked and maintained. Using either magic or ingenuity, irrigation systems are in use in major cities and for crops. Most antediluvian buildings are gone, save for those made of stone, metal, or the few that are carefully maintained, but new constructions of stone and wood are created constantly and experiments on basic concrete's has started. A handful of both magical and non-magical colleges have been constructed, the most prominent being Yoosi Davis. The Gnomes and their Brotherhood of Steel, from their offshore oil rig home have begun to research ancient technology from antediluvian California, such as the Golden Gate bridge and railroads. Naval The seat of the NCR's naval power is San Francisco, where the great shipyard and main drydocks of the Republic are located. Centrally positioned with a naturally protected bay, the Republic is able to support the second largest navy on the west coast with these facilities. It is also home to one of the few airshipyards in existence, capable of not only repairing airships but constructing new ones, although the cost is great and the process extremely time consuming. Assets Defenses The New California Republic has 450 active castles and 110 ruined. Of these, 360 castles and 88 ruined are in civilized lands, and 90 castles and 22 ruined are in the wilderness, along borders, etc. Industry and Trade Guilds and Factions Architecture Geography The kingdom of New California Republic covers an area of 225 thousand square miles. Of this, 60% (136 thousand sq. miles) is arable land, and 39% (88 thousand sq. miles) is wilderness. Natural Resources